Torresdale Playground: an open playspace

Playground: Torresdale Playground
Location: Leon Street (near intersection of Frankford and Grant); parking lot is shared with the golf club across the street
Date visited: 10/8/11

Equipment: Three major zones on opposite sides of the rec building:

1. Little arches of brick wall separate two tot play areas:
   • Low modern playset with 2-3-foot platforms, 3 straight plastic slides, a fireman's pole, and 4 bucket swings nearby
     
   • Second zone has old-style metal equipment pieces, including 3 arched climbing ladders (almost monkey bars), one radial 8-foot radial jungle gym, and a freestanding metal slide (3-4 foot) with its own steps
   
   
2. A large cement circle encloses a water zone, with several sprayers and low curved walls
   
   
3. The larger kid zone (far side of building) has two playsets:
   • Higher has misc. climbing, a curved stretch of monkey bars, tall (6-foot) metal slide, 1 strap swing (room for 2)
     
   • Lower playset has lower climbing, 4-foot metal slide, and fireman's pole

Ages: 1.5-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement and grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: lots of grass, baseball, basketball, tennis, rec. center with covered area in front (also nearby golf course)
Access: 6am-10pm (not fenced)

Impressions: Not cutting edge or unusual, but the mix of spaces and equipment, combined with the expanse of inviting grass and large trees, is appealing. Reasonable range of ages covered, although it would be hard to keep younger and older kids in sight at the same time. Would make a fun afternoon outing, with picnic (and maybe a bathing suit in midsummer) -- we had some good running-around silliness to complement our explorations of the play equipment.
Overall rating: 7